8.6 HIS LAST BARK
Amburukay made a small cut on her palm and shook Tikum's hand. "Don't die yet."
"Not part of the plan."
"Wait, give me your other hand first," she said, grabbing and checking his wounded.
"I think there's nothing you can do about it." Tikum grimaced, breathing a little heavier as the pain crossed his arm. "Because nothing's left."
A half-hearted smile blossomed on his face but quickly faded away as Amburukay blankly stared back at him.
She shook her head slowly.
"This is a nasty mess."
Tikum grunted as Amburukay continued to inspect the injury. "Thank you, for reassuring me. I really thought it was worse than that."
She shrugged. "I'm gonna try something.
"Go on... It's not as if I could hold you back."
She sighed. "I think it can maximize our chances. Or not. Are you willing to still risk it?" She waited for him, half-expecting a rejection. They were working together but Tikum may still not trust her that much. Completely understandable, after all, they did try to kill each other a few weeks ago. And they may still do that after this.
Tikum stared at his missing hand and then to Amburukay. "Sure, it already sounds better than what I'm going to try." He sighed, trying his best to convince himself that nothing worse could happen to him now. "Do it. Give me hand."
She rolled her eyes and gestured a magical pattern around the wound, whispering an enchantment that sent a cold chill on Tikum's neck. She had tried to use a much stronger spell like it earlier to herself, but it rebounded back. This time with her last reserves of energy she gave a lesser variant to Tikum, hoping it would help him a bit.
"It'll numb the wound for a short time, but don't think it'll heal it fully." She bound it with a new bandage from her own sash, tightening it around his wound to stop it from bleeding again. "Sorry, this is all I could do."
"You've done so much. For so many times already." Tikum Kadlum's face twisted in agony before he stood up. "I wouldn't last this long without you."
"All for Ukok," she said.
"Everything for our daughter."
Other than his missing limb, the rest of his body ached like hell. He checked the new dressing, tightening it. She was right about the wound. It was not as painful, but he was also sure it wasn't fully-healed. He breathed out heavily. It would do, for now. It would do for what he was about to carry out.
"You look shittier. Really shittier, my dear husband."
"You should really work with how you give compliments."
"What do we do next? I'm all out of ideas here."
"Run and don't ever stop. I have a plan to take you out of here." He paused. "But just in case I fail..." He paused to think. "Thanks, a lot."
"For what?"
"Everything. I should have been better."
"Sure. Me too... How about that... we finally agreed on something."
"I–" He shook his head. "You know what I mean, right?"
For a moment, he halted to look her in the eye. She nodded back, betraying no emotion. That was enough for him. That was more than enough. He bit his lip.
"I'll make it up to both of you, Ambu. Just you watch."
As Tikum said the final word of his crude plan, he quickly made a bee-line to where Si-an Usong fell earlier. Adjacent to him was Amburukay, running stealthily straight for the only exit, making expert use of the shadows for cover.
Tikum watched her in the corner of his eye, hoping that she would make it out without any trouble. It was too much to ask for, true, but his plan would be futile if she got caught. It hinged on her, now. With his heart pounding, Tikum had to duck, halt and hide in the ruins a few times as more gadlumanons cross their path. But the shadow creatures were more focused on Sri Kihod, crawling and leaping to his side with their claws and fangs, scrambling over the other creatures to give them the chance to attack the sorcerer-king first. Seeing his opportunity, Tikum went straight to Silver Fin as it lay discarded in the rubble. It was the only thing that could change the whole course of their fates. But a gadlumanon spotted him before he could lay a hand on the blade. The creature had the silhouette of something in between an ape and a lizard, constantly changing. Constantly in chaos. With a demented look plastered on its face, it quickly changed direction, going for him instead. As it drew closer Tikum grabbed the dagger infused with a devata spirit.
It was cold to the touch. It was as though it was made of solid ice. And the familiar feeling of pure magic was coursing through it like a deep river, waiting to overflow and wash all from its path. With anxiety and panic vying for Tikum's focus, he tried to spin the blade the way he saw Si-an Usong did it. It was a simple trick with the knife. He'd made the same tricks with Hutik before. Just a flick of the wrists after finding the weapon's balance, more instinctual and less mechanical. He whispered a curse. But it could easily be bungled by one clumsy blunder. Something he shouldn't let happen. Silver Fin's handle grew hot as it sent pulsing waves of energy all through out his body. Its magic was working and it was strong.
This was Tikum's gamble again. Remembering what Si-an Usong said about the Living blade working with buruhisan blood gave him this idea. Yes, this was him winging it, but he had no choice left. Deep in the dark well of desperation, he chose this, knowing all too well that these kind of risks would amount to nothing if he made even just one mistake. He grimaced as his vision turned hazy, silently cursing the shadow creature that was slowly cornering him. It growled insidiously. Or it seemed like it did. But it did was more like a feeling than a sound. Another odd sensation came over him. This time it felt heavier. Something clicked in his head, it was the creature's intent. It was going to attack any time now.
Tikum shifted his weight and the monster made its move.
With a slash of the Living blade, he tried to ward it off. But instead, he opened a portal half his size in front of him, catching the gadlumanon's bulk as it threw itself after him.
"Shit." Tikum stared at the portal, waiting for the creature to come out but seconds passed and nothing came. "This is actually fucking handy." He spun Silver Fin, a smile forming on his lips. He was about to move away from the portal and meet Amburukay when the creature's tail wrapped around his waist and pulled him to the other side of the tear in space. Shit, he had to do something.
Trapped in the clutches of the gadlumanon, he opened another rift on the monster's torso. As the shadow-fiend stretched its maw for Tikum, he immediately dispelled the opening in space before it could escape. An audible crunch proceeded before the remaining half of the gadlumanon fell and began to disintegrate into a mess of torn shadows.
Tikum gave out a nervous laughter for his luck. Was the Living blade even meant to do that? It whirred in reply. He shook his head. Was he in shock? Or did Silver Fin acknowledge his thoughts?
"Now, how do we exactly do this," he said, studying the dagger and thinking how to use it properly. But a sudden screech made him looked up in horror.
"Gi-atay!" he cried when he saw it in its entirety. From above, the gadlumanon's front half fell and splattered down the ground beside him. "I didn't mean to do that but let's go with it for now."
With that, he opened another portal and jumped inside without hesitation, cradling his wounded limb. Blinding light streamed from one focal point as the Black Dog travelled from one point in space to the next. When he opened another portal he fell outside of the Bone Gates. Tikum cursed feeling nauseous. Using the Silver Fin had some getting use to. It was growing hot on his palm every time he wielded its powers and it seemed to weaken as the Bone Gates slowly deteriorated. Tikum tore open another portal, intending to use it to get Ambu and Ukok, intending to leave all of this behind but the Living blade brought him somewhere else instead. He dropped down from the doorway in space, landing beside the sorcerer-king. Fuck, he cursed all the gods. As soon as he had the chance, he stood up, to ward off a number of gadlumanons as they reached out for him with their taloned-limbs.
"Poor choice," Sri Kihod said, dispatching the creatures with a spell. "Choosing to be a hero?"
The manghihiwit quickly turned his back, just as an enormous gadlumanon that looked like a cross between a frog and a spider rushed at him. Even with his super-human strength he still struggled to slow it down and defeat it.
"I agree," Tikum whispered, nursing his throbbing wound. "And I'm not exactly a hero." He opened a portal and abruptly closed it on one of the frog-spider's limb, cutting it clean and making it pause to roar angrily at him.
"Oh, really?" the manghihiwit said, as he tore the beaten gadlumanon's limbs, throwing it to the others to clear a way.
"Heroes don't grow old happy." Tikum opened multiple portals over and around him, giving him enough space between the gadlumanons and himself. "Heroes die, too, that's why I'm not one."
"But you have damned yourself with me."
"Not the way I see it," Tikum said.
From afar, their only exit, the Bone Gates itself, was slowly closing. Tihol and Karas already passed through, but Jurah and Si-an Usong still lagged behind. Tikum cursed. In time it would shut off the Human realm. This did not bode well for him. He still couldn't spot Amburukay and Ukok. Where the hell are they? He hoped they already crossed the threshold but-
The sorcerer-king stared at Tikum like a predator eyeing its cornered prey, all while pushing away a crab-like shadow-fiend. One of its pincer caught him by the neck but before it could do the deed, he bit and clawed it to pieces. Then he halted and grinned before unleashing a bombardment of spells to cull most of the gadlumanons within his vicinity. "Through the years of serving me, you have grown in infamy." He walked towards Tikum as he fended off a couple of Gadlum's denizen by opening and closing rifts in space to bisect them clean. The manghihiwit dispatched another shadow-fiend by crushing it with his bare hands, marching on the charred remains of the others caught by his explosive spells.
"Tikum the Black Dog Kadlum, they started to call you," he said almost to himself. "Black Dog, a very apt name for a man like you. Always loyal to his master's black deeds. Until one fateful day, the day you betrayed me." Sri Kihod smiled. "The thief and the scoundrel. I imagine that even to this day those folks in Madia-as still whisper your name. The only man to steal from Uray Kang Dayang's gilded coffers and live to tell the tale about it. One of the most indispensable agent I have, only second to my pupil, Amburukay, the Lady of the Darkest Night, herself. A very interesting couple... you are. But even with all those little things... you've always been the Tikum I knew. The desperate young man close to death on that island. The ungrateful son. The coward timawa. The selfish husband. The narrow-minded fool of a father-"
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A portal above Sri Kihod opened and a dozen shadow-fiend fell on his head but before he could be overwhelmed, he unleashed a white hot beam of magical energy, impaling everything within reach. He aimed a spell at his betrayer but the man had already fled towards a tear in space.
"Coward!"
"You've been away too long, Sri Kihod," Tikum answered, standing at the edge of the portal above the sorcerer-king. "I've done more interesting things. I've gone through far worse things too. I've changed. But this... All this... This is not just about me."
"You are as stupid as they come. A fool." Sri Kihod looked up and realized that Tikum had sprung his trap on him. "If you kill me, it'll collapse the whole sanctuary spell," the Lord of the Manghihiwit said as the rift in space around his neck narrowed. "Your friends will die before reaching the exit. Ukok, too. And if you save me, I'll kill everyone of you and reopen the portal. A dire predicament is what we have here."
Tikum smiled. "Who said I was saving you?" He opened another portal on the ground and the two of them fell through the rift in space.
They landed near the gates' pillar, just as Jurah and Usong passed through to the other side. Tikum was thinking of opening another rift in space to take Amburukay and Ukok out of Gadlum, but the Living blade was too fiddly. It would only work at a specific distance. He can't just open a portal from afar, he needed to be close enough to slash an opening in space. And Gadlum itself seemed to make it harder. He noticed it with the others as well, they were having trouble with their spells.
Tikum cursed as he dodged Sri Kihod's claws. The wily fiend was not giving him any chance to mount a counter-attack. Good thing his foe didn't follow through. Tikum grimaced, realizing that the sorcerer-king's attack didn't really miss him fully. He staggered, chest marked by his former master's sharp talons.
Tikum's arch-enemy smiled, all eyes shining behind the veil of shadows. So, he smiled back at him conjuring a new plan in mind. The Black Dog swiftly raised his magical blade as Sri Kihod inched forward. Before the fiend lunged at him, Tikum slashed at the air, moving away from his foe and dragging Silver Fin. He entered the doorway in space, leaving the sorcerer-king confused and empty-handed. A few moments later, Tikum reappeared a distance from his former master, he felt sick really sick but forcing a smile was the best recourse at them moment. Sri Kihod reacted with a series of concussive spells that followed close behind Tikum, but all of it was a second too late, only destroying everything behind the Black Dog. At the end of Sri Kihod's attack, Tikum dropped down, opening the biggest portal he could managed to tear in space. He screamed as the Living blade released a surge of energy so powerful that its rebound sent him flying.
When Sri Kihod realized what was happening, he halted his advance- running to the opposite path from the titanic reptilian head crashing his way from the yawning rift in space that Tikum tore. This was madness. He cursed the Black Dog. What was the fool thinking? Was he so desperate to resort with this kind of insanity? In a split second he traced an escape route but even with his inhuman agility, the sorcerer-king was still struck and crushed by the rushing mass of scales and teeth of the moon-eater. Pinned between the ground and by one of the seven-headed dragon's head, Sri Kihod seemed defeated. He spat blood.
As the dust settled and as the leviathan roared in protest, Tikum closed the portal around its neck, cutting one of the seven-headed dragon's head away from its body. Even with its enormous bulk it could not resist the Living blades power. A clean cut just below its jaw revealed its insides and the beast's cry was cut short as the light of life from its eyes dimmed and diminished.
Tikum hissed as the blade in his hand glowed red hot. He didn't want to close the portal too early but when he saw the flat side of Silver Fin cracking he knew he had to. And good thing he did. He still needed it after all. The fight wasn't done yet. The sanctuary spell was still intact, meaning Sri Kihod still lives. He silently cursed the devatas, fearing it would be his last chance to use Silver Fin. He knew it was close to its breaking point some time now. He wished he could delay the inevitable to get Amburukay and Ukok out of this place. But as if on cue, the skull of the seven-headed dragon in front of Tikum split apart in the middle, bisected by a black beam of crackling chaos energy.
And flanked between the flesh of the leviathan, the silhouette of the sorcerer-king stood firm.
Tikum's jaw dropped. "Gi-atay!"
Even with three of his limbs mangled and four of his eyes blinded, Sri Kihod was still viciously fast. He closed the gap between them in a blink of an eye, making Tikum drew the Living blade and tear a path of escape as fast as he could.
Sri Kihod looked like he was beaten but there was something dark in his glare and Tikum knew all too well to flee from it. There was murderous intent in those eyes, he thought. The sorcerer-king's mind was clouded by blood lust and no one would halt him toe to toe. Whether it was self-preservation or fear, Tikum entered the doorway in space, heart beating and wounded arm throbbing.
Time seemed to slow down as he fell through the other side. He felt relieved, thinking he had escaped. He thought he was safe. But Sri Kihod leaped towards the portal and halfway through he swiped at the dagger in Tikum's hand, knowing that if he could disarm the Black Dog, he would win. But as he got mere inches from it, Tikum shut the arcane door and a strong magical force flowed from the Silver Fin and back, flinging it away from Tikum's hand. Sri Kihod choked on a scream as the sudden closure of the portal separated the manghihiwit clean at the midsection. Blood flowed from his guts but the sorcerer-king would not stop, he focused his last remaining strength at the weaponless Tikum.
The former timawa threw himself away from the grasp of the misshapen sorcerer, but he misjudged Sri Kihod's speed like everyone else. Fingers swiftly clenched around the Black Dog's forearm, arresting his momentum. Tikum's already frantic heart stopped for a long second before Sri Kihod dragged him closer. His throat constricted when the manghihiwit drew him to eye level- ready to deliver the final blow. Tikum swallowed a curse. This was not going well for him. Not at all. Then Sri Kihod halted, bringing his clawed hand away as warm dark blood poured from his own wound.
The manghihiwit's glassy eyes looked straight at Tikum. "How foolish. Can't you see that I'm right? That I do this for all buruhisans alike. Magic must not be lost to oblivion. Magic must spread for us to survive the change that's about to come. You know that I'm right. You both know it. I know Ambu told you. This is for the future."
Tikum gritted his jaw, pushing himself away from Sri Kihod. "You know what, you should've told me that earlier. We could've really... really talked things out." He took a deep breath as he endured the pain on his arm. It no longer had the bandage and the golden mane holding it together was missing, making it bleeding profusely once more.
Sri Kihod looked away.
Tikum gave him an awkward smile. "Sorry, just had to repeat that joke."
"You treat everything like a farce-"
"Everything's funnier if you're around old man Kihod. You're the one who can't see. A future without my daughter in it... Is not a future I'm willing to live in."
"I could've saved everyone."
Tikum shook his head, face pallid and lips slowly turning purple. "Tsk. Them? Buruhisans? Not all of them are worth saving. You've proven that when you gathered all of those dimwits in your little island. Those you trained to be the greatest manghihiwit in all of Vijayas were worse than the monsters here with us." Tikum spat blood. "They were the same people who murdered a whole village just for you to claim a fucking island for your own. Weren't they the ones you and Ambu quelled? The ones you sacrificed?"
"Yes. Them." Sri Kihod laughed. "I can't control those fools. They wanted more power. They wanted to please me to get more. But some of them are still worth saving."
"I say let them be. They should survive just fine. People always find their way when you just let them do what's right for them."
"But a thousand and more buruhisan lives for a single one? For one child? You have sealed their fate, Tikum. You have turned us into ghosts."
"I guess, it is what it is. We all made choices we're not proud of. Missteps after awful missteps we couldn't help to make." He paused thinking of what the rights words to say. "But tell you the truth, I'm not even ashamed of this one. Because all this is for the one I love."
"I could've saved you, my boy." Sri Kihod choked on his own blood. "All this... All that's coming, it's gonna be on you. To think that I could have saved everyone-"
"I know," Tikum said as he did his best to staunch his bleeding wound. "But this is my daughter we're talking about. If I can't give her a life I didn't have. Well, I might as well give her a chance to choose a life she would want..." Tikum smiled. "That I think, I could do... right, now."
"We could have lived with power."
"It's not all about that."
"But greatness was in reach. You could have had that with me and Ambu... Us three, like we used to... A chance to live lives bathed with the power of the gods."
Tikum took a deep breath. "Well, folks always say, everybody dies. Good or bad. Powerful or weak. Freed or enslaved. Arrogant or meek." He paused, eyeing Sri Kihod. "I hear, even the gods die too." Then, Tikum took a deep breath. "That only means if it's your time. It's your damn fucking time."
"The irony of this all. But yes. Some die sooner than others too." He struggled for air, grunting every word. "That, I agree with... now."
"But there will always be men like us, right? Men foolish enough to do the impossible. Men that stir trouble by our presence alone. Men of great consequence."
"You seemed to have amassed a few pithy wisdom in our time apart. You never do fail to surprise me."
"I also know you will be waiting for me in Sulad, master. And from the looks of it, you won't be waiting for long." Tikum felt the blood from his hand pool over behind him. But there was no pain left. Tikum only felt cold as he lay on his side bleeding.
Sri Kihod leaned closer to him and whispered something on his ear before smiling and closing his own eyes. Then he breath his last. Tikum turned his head away, squinting at the bright light from the other side of the gates as it washed the shadows away. But it could not reach him... No... not the darkness behind Tikum. Not all of it.
Then there was only silence. It was the kind that was deep, almost unfathomable- a silence that folded and folded unto itself, shrouding Tikum's whole body. And in that silence, he could only hear the voices of Ukok and Amburukay, not in distress but in laughter. The thought made the man smile. How long? he asked. How long had he kept his daughter away from his own mother. He felt a terrible regret. If only he could change it. If only.
Everything tilted and everything trembled as the deep darkness turned to gray. Then all that was vague became clearer and the silence crumbled like a shadow under the sun's white veil. Tikum's ear began ringing and all the pain in the world woke him.
"Are you okay? Amburukay said, standing before him. Her eyes were ringed and her lips were dry. But on her arms was Ukok, eyes closed but clearly breathing.
Tikum licked his dry lips. "Is she-"
"She's just unconscious. You need to stand up. We need to go." She looked up towards the light.
"No." He pushed her hand away from him. "There's no time," he whispered as the gadlumanons grew more agitated, testing the boundaries between light and darkness, eager to satiate their hunger. "Don't tell me you didn't thought of this," Tikum snarled but it came out weak. "You can take her, now. Flee dammit! Survive. Live!" He groaned as another wave of pain came over him. "Or we'll all be trapped here. Everything... would be for nothing."
"I did thought of this moment and of the words I was going to tell you once I have my daughter back." Amburukay said as Tikum coughed up blood. "Even imagined the look on your face when I leave you empty-handed." She shook her head. "But we can still make it. That's it, right?
"We?"
"That's what you told me. And you told me you'd keep your words. It had to be us." Amburukay eyed the Bone Gates from the distance and she knew it would soon cave-in and finally close shut. They had to move now. The threshold itself was crumbling in large chunks and with every tremor the pillars of the Gates looked like they were ready to fall. Any longer here and the three of them would be trap in the dark realm.
"The Gates are closing," Tikum said, trying to catch his breath between every word. "Lost too much blood. You can't carry Ukok and me at the same time. And those damn things will come for you. They'll hurt Ukok. You're strong, but you can't help me-"
"No, I can! Haven't I proven myself already?"
Tikum made an effort to smile. "You never had to. This is different. I just need you to save Ukok." He breath out." Consider it a favor for a friend. For me... Please, go!" He paused, teary eyes anchored on his daughter. "Just... just tell her I love her, okay? When she wakes up. Tell her. Please."
Amburukay stepped away only to pause. "Oh, gi-atay, Tikum Kadlum. I may not like it, but I am sure as hell that it is not your time yet, oaf."
"I already told you I'm not going anywhere. Not in this state. No-"
"Then, you better use this damned thing." She handed Tikum a dagger that had an unusual glimmer, like that of a fish fin.
"Oh." Tikum eyed it. The dagger's broad side was cracked and magic was leaking through it. He guessed that one more surge of power or one more slit in space and Silver Fin would fracture and break beyond repair.
Amburukay nodded. "She knows... our daughter knows you love her," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But this is not the time or place for any idiotic sacrifice."
"You don't understand-"
"I do. I really do." She sighed as she picked something up beyond his periphery and tied it tight near his wound. The golden tikbalang's mane immediately glowed bright, soothing his pain. "It has to be you, Tikum. You have to tell her you love her when she wakes up."
Tikum nodded, pained look plastered on his bruised face.
Amburukay held him up as he staggered and almost fell over. "Just consider it a favor... from a friend."
"Yes," Tikum said as he stood on unsteady feet. He took a deep heavy breath. Then, with one flick of the wrist of Si-an Usong's dagger, he opened a rift in space and the three crossed the other side in time as the Bone Gates closed shut and darkness swallowed Gadlum whole again.